11 | I needed answers
I didn't go back to the restaurant. The thought of returning to that suffocating room full of lies and alliances made my stomach churn.
Instead, I did what any irrational, slightly unhinged woman in a red dress would do, I took a cab back to Luciano's mansion, then I took my motorcycle, left Manhattan behind, and headed straight for Staten Island.
Naturally, I slipped into black leggings because flashing anyone is definitely not on my agenda.
The ferry ride was short but gave me enough time to rehearse exactly what I was going to say to my father. You threw him out, Aurelia, and now you're crawling back. Hypocrite much? My mind mocked me the entire way, but I ignored it.
I needed answers, and there was only one person who could give them to me.
When I finally pulled up to the gated community, the two-story house loomed ahead, pristine and unassuming.
I parked the bike and stared at the house for a moment, debating whether to turn around. You're really doing this in a red dress? Fabulous, I thought sarcastically. But I forced myself to walk to the door and knock, hoping against hope that he was home.
The door opened, and my dad stood in the doorway. The shock on his face was almost comical.
"Aurelia?" he said, his voice tinged with disbelief.
I didn't bother with pleasantries. I brushed past him, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, closing the door behind me.
I spun around to face him, my arms crossed. "Did you forge the marriage certificate?"
His face froze for a split second before he recovered, the lawyer mask slipping back into place. "What are you talking about?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," I said, my voice sharp. "The marriage certificate. Did you and Luciano strike a deal while I was in a coma? Did you forge it because Ciara wasn't your biological daughter?"
Marino stared at me, his jaw tightening. "Aurelia, this isn't the time-"
"Answer the question!" I snapped, my voice echoing through the quiet house. "Did you do it?"
He sighed, running a hand through his graying hair.
"Yes," he admitted finally, his tone flat. "We forged the marriage certificate."
I felt like the floor had been pulled out from under me. Even though I'd suspected it, hearing him confirm it was like a punch to the gut.
"Unbelievable," I muttered, pacing the room. "You sold me out. You signed me over like a piece of property to a man who has fucked my own sister."
"It wasn't like that," he said, his voice defensive. "It was-"
"Don't even try to justify it," I interrupted, spinning to face him. "You did it because Ciara couldn't be the perfect Nash daughter anymore. She couldn't secure the Costa connection, so you used me instead."
Marino's expression hardened. "You think I wanted to do it? You think I enjoyed seeing my family fall apart because of your mother's lies? Ciara was supposed to be the answer, the one who would keep everything together. And then we found out she wasn't mine, and it all went to hell."
"So you made me the sacrificial lamb," I said bitterly. "Great fucking parenting."
"I did what I had to do," he said, his voice low. "You don't understand the pressure-"
"Don't you dare play the victim," I snapped, cutting him off. "You tried to kill me, remember? You spent twenty years treating me like I was nothing, and now you want to act like you had no choice?"
Marino's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond. For once, he didn't have a clever comeback or a legal argument to throw in my face.
I shook my head, letting out a bitter laugh. "You know what the worst part is? I'm not even surprised. I should be, but I'm not. This is exactly what I'd expect from you."
"Aurelia-"
"Save it," I said, holding up a hand. "I didn't come here for your excuses. I just wanted the truth, and now I have it."
I turned and headed for the door, my heels clicking against the hardwood floor.
"Oh, and one more thing," I said, pausing in the doorway. "You can keep your guilt. It doesn't mean a damn thing to me."
With that, I walked out, slamming the door behind me.